Matthew Lillard and Josh Hutcherson are set to star in Blumhouse's much-anticipated feature adaptation of Five Nights at Freddy's.
Based on the popular 2014 video game created by Scott Cawthon, Five Nights at Freddy's follows a security guard who begins working at Freddy Fazbear's, a themed restaurant for kids (ala Chuck E. Cheese) featuring animatronic animal entertainment that turns out to be more than what he bargained for. The original Five Nights at Freddy's has spawned several more games, spin-offs, a novel trilogy, and an anthology series.
According to Deadline, while the characters each actor will play have not been specified, production for the film is set to begin in New Orleans in early 2023. Lillard, known for his role in the original 1996 Scream and playing Shaggy in the live-action Scooby-Doo films, recently starred in NBC's Good Girls opposite Christina Hendricks. Hutcherson established himself in the Hunger Games franchise opposite Jennifer Lawrence and has gone on to star in films like 57 Seconds, Little Mouth, and Across the River and Into the Trees. Hutcherson has also directed several music videos and a short film, Ape.
Written by Cawthon, Emma Tammi, and Seth Cuddeback, the Five Nights at Freddy's movie will be directed by Tammi (The Wind, Blood Moon). Jim Henson's Creature Shop will work alongside Blumhouse to bring the game’s favorite animatronics to life. The film will be produced by Blumhouse and Striker Entertainment, with Cawthon and Jason Blum producing the film. Russell Binder is an executive producer.
Both Hutcherson and Lillard have been praised for their roles in horror and sci-fi genres in the past, which bodes well for their choice to star in Five Nights at Freddy's. While Hutcherson's acting style is more subdued and layered, Lillard has a knack for delightfully over-the-top performances in '90s hits like Scream and She's All That.
Fans of the video game have been waiting years for the film adaptation of the horror game, which means a built-in audience for the film when it eventually hits theaters. 2021’s Willy's Wonderland, which beat Five Nights at Freddy's to the screen and introduced a similar plotline starring Nicolas Cage, told a comedy/horror spin on the similar subject matter. With a premise that is both terrifying and highly original, the film will no doubt be a draw for video game fans and horror lovers alike.
Five Nights at Freddy's is set to begin filming in February 2023.
Source: Deadline